Spencer's POV
-Flashback-
"Spence, listen to me!"
My father's stern words echo straight through me, as I stare into the empty distance. I want to scream, I want to cry; I need to let it out. All of this bitterness and hatred I have, this is not what was supposed to happen to me. It wasn't supposed to happen to any of us, we are grieving our own lives.
"Spencer! You can win this, you're smart."
My eyes begin to focus on my mother, she looks lost. Even more lost than me, maybe it's that she is going to lose both of her children. No, it's more than that I can see it in her wandering eyes; eyes that are avoiding me.
"I mean it spencer listen to me, think of it tactically. Create a plan in your head, pin point it out- who is strong, who is weak, who you can target to kill…"
"NO, NO STOP IT" I screamed, I cried; each sound of lost hope stained the silence.
"Mom" I whispered huskily through sobs, my voice leaking with desperation. As I walk up to her I saw her pain more clearly, she continues to look right through me floating further and further away. I brought my shaking hand forward and lightly placed it on her arm. She flinched and backed away, looking at me as if I had hurt her.
"MOM, I NEED YOU!" I shrieked as loud as my body would let me. She broke down into a fresh flood of tears and stepped back towards my own quivering state, embracing me loosely, like there was something between us.
"I'm sorry I failed you spencer" she spoke as she let go, walking up to the door and leaving.
I didn't bother calling after her, I let her go. I turn back to my father who was still standing there awkwardly observing the situation.
He walked over and gingerly kissed my forehead.
"You can get through this Spence, you can out smart them all; even Melissa."
And that's it; he left as well, walking out the door with a fast abrupt pace, not once looking back. That was the last time I was ever going to see my parents and we must have still had about five minutes left to say our goodbyes.
"Bye Daddy" I whisper to myself.
-End of Flashback-
I keep on replaying his last words over and over again in my mind.
"Even Melissa"
I didn't think anything of it at the time; they were just empty words that flowed right through me, but now I'm listening. God damn it, why couldn't I have pulled myself together when I needed him.
And I need him now, probably for the first time in my life.
I'm still on the ground; I think I have been for over an hour, leaning head against the door that over the years has rusted leaving a musty metallic smell in the air around me. My mind is still spinning, replaying the events of the last few days in my aching head.
Why did I have to realise too late, I could have had a chance of winning. I could have easily planned it out, like my father said and my father is never wrong- about stuff like this at least.
I know who is weak, who's an easy target and I know who too look out for, the strong ones who won't go down without a fight.
But now I'm weak, I am an easy target.
I have one more day to pull myself together; I have to prove them all wrong, for both of us.
Hanna's POV
"No, I am not going to let A watch me die painfully and miserably" I stated to Caleb who had somehow managed to sneak in to my room, like he had every night for the last two weeks. I have no idea how the guard people have not noticed, peace keepers, I think that is what they call themselves.
"Hanna, I don't think we have much of a choice"
I looked up to his face to find his mocha eyes filling with tears. I snuggled up to him closer and his arms formed a barricade around me as we lay together on the uncomfortable bed, my head resting on his warm chest and our legs tangled underneath the rough sheets. I lay there listening to his heartbeat knowing he is crying though it is completely silent.
"Caleb" I muttered softly, as he was falling in and out of consciousness.
"Promise me you won't leave me in the arena, I'm so scared Caleb. I can't kill another person, I don't know how. And everyone knows I can't, so I'm an easy target, they're all going to go for me first. And I can't run, I can't even play sports an-"
"Hanna. Look at me" I lifted my head from his warm chest, one of his hands immediately cupping my face.
"I am not going anywhere"
"Mmm, is it me or does this convocation seem familiar" I whispered suggestively, laughing through the tears.
"You know what? You'll be fine in the arena, you are good at camping" He whispered back a smirk forming on his lips.
Emily's POV
-Next Day Training centre-
"Okay, this is your last day of training, take it seriously. You have no idea what arena you will be faced with, what weapons you will have, what little supplies there will be; every aspect can be the difference between life and death. Sponsors; you have all heard about them right? That one sponsor could be the reason you walk out of that arena alive. Get people to like you."
"Does she go on or what?!" I heard Maya whisper in my ear.
We were standing right at the back of the group of the other hushed tributes; no, not tributes- friends. I strained my ears, making sure I heard everything she said. I need to have some sort of a plan, but it's hard to concentrate with Maya humming in your ear.
"PLEASE SHUT UP. Please?" I whispered fiercely.
I tilted my head to look at her as she predictively rolled her eyes and smirked. She grabbed my arm and started to drag me in the direction of the exit.
"No one will notice..." she said in a hushed tone, her face beaming.
We soon slipped through the door, without a single person realising. Maya continued to drag me by my arm through the vacant corridors. I hadn't the faintest idea as to where she was taking me, but I felt a bubble of excitement grow inside me.
Something I hadn't felt in a long while.
I honestly think that Maya is deluded. The fact that we could both be dead tomorrow doesn't seem to bother her, even slightly. I haven't witnessed her crying once these past two weeks since we found out. And now that she is skipping our last training session and taking me with her is just…
"What?" she giggled, stopping my train of thoughts. "Em, you're looking as if I'm crazy or something?"
Unaware that I was even looking at her, I shook my head parting my lips to respond.
"Actually no, don't answer that. I think your right." She laughed more pulling me in to the elevator.
Knowing she wasn't going to tell me, I didn't bother asking where we are going or what the hell we are doing. Yet I still gave her a questionable look as she hit the button for the top floor, the corners of her lips turned upwards as she placed them on mine.
It wasn't long until we got to the top level of our 'pre-games accommodation building'; it sounds fancy but it is really not. Even though from the outside it seems modern and pleasant, it is rather dated and dull on these sides of the walls. There are six floors in total, the only way to get to each one is by elevator; no stairs. There must have been at some point as I am pretty sure this was the old Rosewood version of Radley or a prison. Take your pick, not much has changed- apart from the stairs.
The bottom floor is the basement, out of bounds to everyone and everything, followed by the ground floor. The ground floor holds only two rooms, the entrance hall, which is the large room where we were first taken after the reaping. Then a smaller room, in which we said a final goodbye to our families.
The training centre is located on the first floor. It is compulsory to be there every single day until the games, if not there are consequences. See my problem? The second floor is home to the kitchen, dining room and everything food. The game makers like to make us eat a good three course meal, three times a day. Surprisingly many people have not taken well to this, of course including Hanna, but it is Spencer who has the real problem. I don't think I have actually seen her eat a full meal since we have been here; she has literally just been living off coffee, which was already scary enough when she ate. It is not at all like spencer not to eat, the fact she has let herself become weaker also surprises me. I assumed she would have wanted to be stronger and have a solid spencer-like plan.
I guess not, something isn't right there.
My lips parted from Maya's, leaving behind the warmth and tenderness. My eyes instantly locking with hers, stuck in that single moment of shelter and security for what seemed like an eternity. In a split second she spun around, the soft touch of her hands not leaving my own as she ran through the separated doors of the elevator. We stepped out in to the sleek polished corridors of the top floor – the girl's accommodation. Each room we pass is secured with a dated steel door, just like a prison cell, but Maya appeared to be leading us to a different door.
At the very end of the corridor, there is a single wooden door. For some reason I had never noticed it before. As we got closer I realised it was a lot larger than I first anticipated, and a lot older. Scratches etched their way along the frame and the edges where uneven and cracked. The door knob reflected the rays of lights which fell upon it and had clearly been thoroughly polished. Beneath the golden ball there was a petite keyhole edged with a bronze rim.
Eager, yet anxious to know what lies behind the door; I alter my vision from the door to Maya. Maya, who was already holding a bronzed key that, was dangling from a single piece of thread. I shot her a look of confusion.
"I have my ways" she shrugged, reminding me very much so of Alison.
-Authors Notes-
Okay I know this chapter is really boring and I didn't do aria's pov, sorry. But I felt I needed to explain the situation more idk. They will be going into the arena in either next chapter or the one after that, so be patient:) Give some ideas or constructive criticism or whatever, it helps.
Review pleasee xo
-Kiaraxo
